Automatic button loading device for sewing machines



July 2,1968 L. BONQ 3,390,151.24y

AUTOMATIC BUTTON LOADING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 1, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1e l zo L. BONO 3,390,812

AUTOMATIC BUTTON LOADING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES July 2, 196s 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1, l196e se u as 45 4a s4 `l1 a? 4s s45 4v 2 8 nf u ...r g ,5 Hol Il 8 n0 B ,w l nr l lll n.lnldl l I 1 2 J1.. m 3 0f 0086 y M0 \nD50-r nD/ 1 6?? L. .1541/ u m 6 `vn 6 4 0 Nm all w 1 1. f w l .nm ld ,L M... a nv e July 2, 1968 BONO 3,390,812

AUTOMATIC BUTTON LOADING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 1, 1966 3 sheets-sheet s FIGS United States Patent O 3,390,812 AUTOMATIC BUTTON LOADING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Luigi Bono, Pavia, Italy, assignor to Necchi Societ per Azioni, Pavia, Italy Filed Dec. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 598,360 Claims. (Cl. 221-173) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automatic button loading device for sewing machines, including a guiding means adapted to rotate a button in order to properly align its holes relative to a loading arm which receives the button and deposits it in the sewing machine clamp, the movements of the loading arm and of the guiding means being correlated with each other through a correlated drive means.

The present invention is directed to an improved automatic button loading device for use in known sewing machines which are especially adapted to sew buttons onto fabric.

Automatic button loading devices are known and they usually comprise an arm extending radially from a shaft which is pivotably oscillatable and axially reciprocable about a fixed axis whereby a button may be picked up at a loading station by one end of said arm, the arm then pivoting and carrying the button along an arcuate trajectory to a point above the sewing machine clamp, at which point the shaft performs an axial stroke whereby the button is lowered onto the clamp, the shaft and arm then pivoting in an opposite direction to said loading station and then performing an upward axial stroke to load a succeeding button onto said arm.

In such known devices, a button guiding means is provided at the loading station and generally includes a vertically extending pivotable and axially oscillatable shaft provided with a cylindrical friction member at its lower end for guiding buttons onto the laforementioned arm.

A major disadvantage in such known devices, however, resides in the fact that the movements of the respective guiding and loading members are individually determined by separate operating devices, this resulting in a structural arrangement of remarkable complexity and, concomitantly, arrangements which are difficult and costly to construct and to maintain -and which are subject to a proportionally higher incidence of malfunction.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a button loading device of simplified construction and of fewer operating parts relative to known analogous devices.

It is, further, an object of this invention to provide a button loading device which is highly reliable in operationl These and other objects which are inherent in the disclosed device are generally achieved through an arrangement wherein the movements of the loading member which places buttons onto the machine clamp and of the guiding means which guides buttons to the loading member, are mechanically coupled with each other whereby the movements of the loading member control those of the guiding means.

The means whereby this is accomplished will be described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 shows the assembled device in perspective view;

3,390,812 Patented July 2, 1968 ICC FIGURE 2 is a vertical plan view showing only the guiding and loading means of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line lII-III in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken long line IV-IV in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the means shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line VIl-VII in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 6 but showing the disposition of parts at a different stage in the operation thereof; and

FIGURE 9 is a plan schematic view showing the means which determine the trajectory of the loading member.

With reference to FIGURE 1, the main components of the device are: 4button supply tank 10 for holding a supply of buttons and individually feeding them to the loading device; chute means 11 providing a passage for buttons from the tank to the loading device; distributing holder 12 for receiving buttons from the outlet of said chute means and for positioning said buttons below guiding means 13; loading member 14 for carrying buttons from guiding means 13 to the usual sewing machine clamp 1S; control means 16 for controlling the movements of means 13 and member 14; and electromagnetic power means 93 for driving said control means.

Tank 10 is a vibration type self-distributor, for example, of the Syntron type, which is very well known and will, therefore, only be generally described, as follows.

A quantity of identical buttons 17 are loaded into the interior of tank 10 and through vibration thereof, said buttons are made to travel upwardly along the helical rim 18 which is formed against the tank inner wall. Since the shape of buttons is normally such that one face thereof is fiat while the other is concave, distributor 10 includes means for selecting only buttons which, for example, have their convave face facing down. During their upward travel along helical rim 18, the buttons must pass beneath a first blade element 19 which provides just enough space for one button to pass thereunder so that if one button were on top of another, the top button would be pushed back into the bottom of tank 10 by blade 19. Subsequently, the buttons must pass over semispherical boss 20, which is fixedly located on rim 18, and then beneath second blade 21 which immediately follows boss 20. If the concave side of the button is facing down, it is not raised by boss 20 and can, therefore, pass under blade 21; however, if the button fiat side is facing down, boss 20 lifts the button to an extent whereby blade 21 pushes it off rim 18 and into the bottom of tank 10. Finally, the buttons remaining on rim 18 enter the inlet end of chute 11 and fall by gravity along said chute to outlet end 26, said buttons, in the process, being overturned so that they emerge concave side upwards at end 26 which leads into distribtuing holder 12.

Chute means 11 is comprised of fixed upper portion 22 and lower portion 23 which is hinged -at 24 to the upper portion lower end 25.

A clasp 27 is pivotally attached to end portion 26 and fits around a portion of holder 12 so as to prevent vertical displacement of portion 26 relative to holder 12.

The distributing holder 12 (FIGURES 1 to 3) is in the form of a generally horizontally extending means comprised of a main body portion 33 having a U-shaped recess 34 defined by upper and lower horizontal legs between which extend two parallel vertical pivot pins 37 and 38. Two fingers 35 and 36, respectively, are pivotally mounted on said pins 37 and 38, the inner or facing sides of said fingers being spaced apart and including lengthwise extending recesses 45 which together define a channel for button 17 to slide along. The button, in fact, slides out of chute end 26 and into the left hand end (with reference to FIGURE 3) of the channel defined by fingers 35 and 36 and then up to the right hand end of said fingers at which point inwardly projecting lips 47 and 48 on said fingers prevent further movement of said button.

A U-shaped blade spring 39 extends around the pivoted ends of fingers 35 and 36 with its free ends 43 and 44 resiliently urging the fingers towards each other, thereby assuring a firm gripping of button 17 between said fingers.

The whole holder assembly 12 is pivotable as a unit about an axis which is perpendicular to the axis of pins 37, 38 by means of pin 28 which extends through body 33 and is supported at its ends in parallel legs 29 of a U-shaped support bracket 30 which, in turn, is `fixedly attached to housing 31 by screws 32. A tailpiece 49 is attached to the cross-leg in bracket 30 and extends parallel to the bracket axis and terminates in a free end adjacent to the lower surface of body 33. An adjusting screw 50 and locking nut 51 therefor are mounted on said free end for limiting the downward pivoting of holder 12 about pin 28. A blade spring 52 has one end attached to bracket 30 and its other end resiliently bearing against the top of body 33 so that holder 12 is continually urged in a clockwise direction as referred to FIGURES 1 and 2. The action of spring 52 is necessary in order to assure that the buttons in holder 12 will slide to beneath member 59 of device 13 (see FIGURE 2).

Housing 31 includes an upper cover plate 54 secured to the button portion of the housing by screws 55. Cover plate 54 (see FIGURE 4) has `bushing 56 mounted therein in axial alignment with bushing 57 which is mounted in the bottom portion of the housing 31. The guiding means includes a shaft 58 which is mounted in said bushings for pivotal and axially reciprocable movement, said shaft protruding from the upper and lower ends, respectively, of bushings 56 and 57. Cylinder 59, composed of a material having a relatively high coefficient of friction, is attached to the lower end of shaft 58 while intermediate its ends and between lbushings 56 and 57, said shaft has downwardly tapering conical roller 60 rigidly attached thereto. Helical spring 61 is mounted about shaft 58 with one end thereof tixedly attached to ybushing 56 and the other end attached to roller 60. Blade spring 62 is attached to housing 31 by screw 63 and has its free end bearing downwardly and resiliently against the protruding upper end of shaft 58 whereby the conical surface on rolle-r 60 is resiliently urged into contact with the rubber crown 63 of intermediate roller 64 which is rotatably mounted on pin 65 (FIGURE 4).

Pin 65 is rigid with boss 66 which, in turn, is rigidly mounted on the free end 67 of arm 68, the other end of which is pivotally mounted by means 69 in housing 31. Spiral spring 70 is wound around boss 66 with one end thereof being free and the other end being attached by screw 71 to roller 64. The effect of this arrangement is that clockwise rotation of roller 64 tends to loosen the spring windings relative to boss 66 so that said roller is free to so rotate, the spring rotating with it, while counterclockwise rotation of said roller tightens the spring turns around boss 66 so that said roller is automatically braked or stopped when it tends to rotate counterclockwise by the spring turns gripping the surface of boss 66.

Driving forces upon roller 64 are exerted by driving roller 72 whose circumferential surface contacts crown 63 on roller 64, both rollers being on parallel axes and being resiliently urged together by spring means 74, one end of which is connected to housing 31 and the other end of which is connected to arm 68.

Roller 72 is rotatably driven in only one direction by hollow shaft 73 about which said roller is freely rotatably mounted. Shaft 73 includes a radially extending collar 76 upon which rests hub 75 of roller 72. A helical spring 77 is wound about collar 76 with one end thereof fixed to hub 75 by screw 78 and the other end being free. The direction of the turns of spring 77 is such that clockwise rotation of hollow shaft 73 (see the arrow in FIGURE 4) tends to loosen the spring turns relative to collar 76 so that shaft 73 will rotate without having any effect upon roller 72; however, when shaft 73 rotates counterclockwise, it tends to tighten spring turns 77 about collar 76 so that shaft 73 will pull roller 72 along in counterclockwise rotation.

The two springs 70 and 77, which both function in an analogous manner, are so Wound relative to boss 66 and collar 7'6, respectively, that when spring 77 tightens about collar 76, spring 70 loosens relative to boss 66, and vice versa. In other words, when shaft 73 is driving roller 72, and through roller 72, also roller 64, spring 70 releases its braking action relative to roller 64, while when shaft 73 no longer is driving roller 72, that is: when shaft 73 rotates in the opposite direction, any tendency for either roller 72 or 64 to rotate in accordance with the rotation of shaft 73 will be braked by spring 70.

Hollow shaft 73 is rotatably mounted in bushings 79 and 80 in housing 31, said shaft being parallel to shaft 58. Bushing 58 is axially slidable within its seat and securable therein by means of locking screw 81.

The loading rneans for transferring the buttons from the loading station, defined by the right hand end of fingers 35 and 36 in distribution holder 12, to the sewing machine clamp 15, includes arm 82 which is rigidly keyed to the lower end of shaf-t 83 which, in turn, extends concentrically through the hollow portion of shaft 73. Shaft 83 is axially slidable relative to shaft 73 but integrally rotatable therewith.

Rigid with the top of shaft 83 s a cylindrical block 84 which includes a rectangular cam groove 85 in its cylindrical surface (see FIGURES 1, 4, and 9) in which a rigid follower 86 engages, said follower being rigid with housing cover 54.

Block 84 is oscillatingly driven with shaft 83 by double acting electromagnet 93 acting through plunger 92, lever including arms 89 and 91, and adjustable tie rod link 88 upon radial arm 87 which extends rigidly from block 84.

A roller 94 is rotatably mounted on block 84 upon an axis radial with the axis of shaft 83, said roller being arranged to roll along and between the bearing surfaces of opposed pusher members 95 and 96. The pusher members are each parallelly mounted and are pivotable about parallel pivot means and 109, respectively, which are mounted in spaced apart supports 97 and 98 which are fixed on housing 31. Stop pins 106 limit the pivoting of pusher members 95 and 96 towards each other while spring 111, connected at its ends to respective ones of members 95 and 96, tends to draw said members towards each other. Said members can pivot away from each other against the urging of spring 111.

The bearing surfaces of the pusher members 95 and 96 include a flat portion 99 and an inclined portion 101, the inclined portions 101 facing each other, that is: being in axial alignment with each other, but the fiat portions 99 being circumferentially displaced from one another.

The operation of the afore-described parts is as follows.

Buttons are sewn onto a fabric by a not shown machine while being held in clamp 15, and FIGURE 1 shows the relationship of parts while a button is being thusly sewn. It is seen from FIGURE 1 that arm 82 extends to beneath distributing holder 12 and guiding device 13, a button 17 resting on said arm and being held thereon by pins 112 which protrude from the arm surface and into the button holes. The button 17, of course, is one which has come from tank 10, down chute 11, and along lingers 35 and 36, as already described, and said button has been engaged by arm 82 by virtue of said arm having moved axially upwardly, in the direction of arrow D,

thereby pushing holder 12 and guiding device 13 upwardly against the urging of springs 52 and 62, respectively, pins 112 thereby engaging said button.

When the sewing of a button is completed, it is disengaged from clamp 15 by the machine operator who then actuates the electromagnet 93 through appropriate circuit control means (not shown) of any well known type, such as a push button type switch. The electromagnet thereby operates to pull plunger 92 upwards, which, as is evident from the connecting linkage means 90, 88, results in counterclockwise pivoting of block 84. Such movement of block 84 causes the lower horizontal track 113 of cam groove 85 to slide along the stationary follower pin 86, from left to right with reference to FIG- URE 9, the extent of said pivoting being limited in correspondence to pin 86 being positioned at the lower end of vertical track 114 of groove 85.

Simultaneously with said counterclockwise pivoting, roller 94 rst rolls along inclined surfaces 101 and then along at surface 99 of the upper pusher 95 thereby urging said upper pusher upwards against the action of spring 111 (see FIGURE 8), the lower pusher 96 not being able to follow the upper pusher because stop pin 106 prevents it from doing so, land spring 111 thereby becoming stretched.

Pivoting of block 84 also results in pivoting of shaft 83, which is rigidly connected to said block, and of hollow shaft 73 which is rigidly connected to shaft 83, this in turn resulting in pivoting of roller 72 since spring 77 tightens about collar 76. Intermediate roller 64 is, of course, driven by roller 72 with spring 70 loosening on boss 66, and roller 64 drives conical roller `60, thereby winding or loading spring 61.

Returning to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that counterclockwise pivoting of block 84 and of shaft 83 necessarily results in arm 82 pivoting in the direction of arrow A from beneath holder 12 to a position at which button 17 is between the arms of said clamp and slightly thereabove. This position of arm 82 corresponds to stationary follower 86 being at the lower end of track 114 in cam groove 85. At this point, upper pusher 95 is in the position shown in FIGURE 8 and it immediately pushes downwardly with its surface 99 upon roller 94, block 84 thereby performing an axially downward movement with track 114 sliding along pin 86 and, consequently, arm 82 performing a downward stroke indicated by arrow B in FIG- URE l. In this regard, it should be recalled that shaft 83, to which block 84 is attached, may oscillate axially relative to hollow shaft 73. This downward stroke of arm 82 deposits button 17 onto the arms of clamp 15.

The downward stroke of upper pusher 95 is stopped by upper pin 106, this corresponding to fixed follower 86 being at the top of track 114, and at this point the electromagnet 93 automatically reverses its action and ejects plunger 92 downwardly, whereby block 84 is driven clockwise with the upper horizontal track 115 of groove 85 sliding from left to right along pin 86. Clockwise pivoting of block 84 results in arm 82 performing a return movement as indicated by arrow C in FIGURE l. Simultaneously,l roller 94 on block 84 first rolls along inclined faces 101 and then against at surface 100 on lower pusher 96, thereby displacing pusher 96 downwardly in a manner analogous to that in which upper pusher 95 was displaced upwardly as is illustrated in FIGURE 8.

During the return movement of arm 82 along the path denoted C, roller 72 is not driven by shaft 73 because the turns of spring 77 loosen on collar 76. Further, spring 70 exerts a braking action upon roller 64, this braking action being transmitted to rollers 72 and 60 which are in contact with roller 64, and therefore, spring 61 does not unwind from its cocked or wound condition which it achieved when arm 82 moved along the path denoted A.

When, however, stationary follower 86 is at the right hand end of track 115 or in vertical alignment With vertical track 116 in cam groove 85, block 84 is free to move axially upwardly under the urging of lower pusher 96 and spring 111, this upward movement corresponding to the stroke denoted by arrow D in FIGURE l. Stroke D of arm 82 causes it to push upwardly upon a button held between lingers 35 and 36 on holder 12, said button being pushed upwardly against cylindrical member 59 of guiding device 13, and, as was previously mentioned, holder 12 and device 13 move upwardly against the urging of springs 52 and 62, respectively. Upward movement of device 13 means that shaft 58 and conical roller 62 move upwardly whereby said roller loses contact with roller 64, spring 61 thereby unwinding and rotating shaft 58 and cylindrical member 59, which, because it frictionally engages the button, rotates it until the holes therein are engaged by pins 112 on arm 82, said pins thereby serving to hold and properly position said button.

Upon the operation again actuating electromagnet 93, the cycle is repeated beginning with the stroke denoted A. In this regard, it should be noted that while pins 112 engage the button holes, said button is still held between fingers 35 and 36 of holder 12. When arm 82 begins stroke A, however, `fingers 35 and 36 are forced to spread apart against the urging of spring 39 by virtue of arm 82 carrying the button away from said iin-gers.

As soon as the button has been released from between fingers 35 and 36, spring 52 returns holder 12 downwardly and against screw 50 so that `a successive button from chute 11 may slide along the channel dened between said lingers, said successive button sliding to beneath device 13 which, in the meantime, has been lowered by spring 62 until conical roller 60 again contacts roller 64.

During the beginning of the stroke denoted A, the button on arm 82 passes beneath resilient blade 117 which extends parallel to the direction of stroke A, said blade serving to prevent the button from tilting off said arm under the action of member 59 which, since it is continually urged downwardly by spring 62, tends to tilt the button as the edge of the button is sliding from beneath said member 59.

The herein given details of construction are presented by way of illustration only of a preferred embodiment and are not intended to be limitative of the scope of the invention, especially with regard to all modifications, substitutions, or equivalents which are within the purview of one skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A button loading device for use in a sewing machine which is adapted for sewing buttons onto a material, said device comprising: a loading arm movable in steps along a closed circuit from a button loading station to a machine clamp station, a button holder for receiving a button from a button supply means and for releasably holding said button at said loading station, a rotary guiding means for rotating said button at said loading station, primary drive means for driving said loading arm along said circuit and for rotating said guiding means in only one rotative direction, said drive means being common to said loading arm and to said guiding means whereby both are integrally driven together by said drive means, means to disconnect the driving relationship between said guiding means and said drive means, auxiliary drive means to rotate said guiding means while so disconnected, gripping means in said loading arm for engaging a button at a particular rotative position thereof at said loading station.

2. The device of claim 1, said circuit of said loading arm being defined by four successive tracks which Aform an elongate rectangle whose long axis is substantially horizontal, travel of said arm along the long upper and lower sides of said rectangle corresponding, respectively, to said arm moving from said loading station to said clamp station and vice versa, and travel of said arm along the vertical ends of said rectangle respectively corresponding to said arm moving along the axes of said guiding means and of said clamp station, said auxiliary drive means driving said guiding means in correspondence to said arm being along the axis of said guiding means.

3. The device of claim 2, said guiding means comprising a rotary member in driving engagement with said primary drive means, said rotary member being axially movable along its rotational axis to disconnect same from driving engagement with said primary drive means, said auxiliary drive means comprising a resilient means connected to said rotary member so as to be cocked thereby during rotation of same in one direction by said primary drive means, said resilient means becoming uncocked and driving said rotary member in an opposite direction while said rotary member is disconnected from said primary drive means, said loading arm acting axially against said rotary member and moving same axially to its forementioned disconnected position when said arm travels along the axis of said guiding means, yieldable means urging said rotary member into driving engagement with said primary drive means.

4. The device of claim 3, said guide means comprising a Afriction member for frictionally contacting the surface of a button in face-to-face contact therewith, a roller integrally rotatable with said friction member, a helical spring coaxially mounted relative to said roller and friction member, one end of said spring being stationarily mounted in a fixed housing part and the other end of said spring being fixed in said roller to revolve about the roller axis as the roller rotates.

5. The device of claim 4, the edge of said roller being downwardly tapered, said edge being frictionally engageable with a drive roller of said primary drive means.

`6. The device of claim 1, said primary drive means comprising a cam means drivingly connected to said arm and determining the movements thereof alonglsaid circuit, unidirectional drive means between said cam means and said rotary guiding means, said primary drive means being connected to said guiding means through said uni-directional drive means.

7. The device of claim 6, including a first drive roller, said unidirectional means connecting said cam means with said first drive roller, an intermediate drive roller drivingly connected with said rst roller and with said rotary guiding means, a braking means associated with said intermediate roller, said braking means being actuable to release said intermediate roller in correspondence to said first drive roller being driven in one direction by the uni-directional drive means, and said braking means being actuable to brake said intermediate roller in correspondence to said first roller rotating opposite to said one direction.

8. The device of claim 7, a shaft rotatively connecting said cam means with said uni-directional drive means, said uni-directional drive means comprising a helical spring wound concentrically about a portion of said shaft and having one end fixedly attached to said first drive roller and its other end free, the direction of the spring turns being such that rotation of said shaft in one direction causes said turns to tighten about said shaft portion and rotation in an opposite direction causes a loosening of said spring turns.

9. The device of claim 8, said braking means comprising a fixed boss coaxial with said intermediate roller and a helical spring Wound concentrically with said boss, one end of said braking spring being fixed to said intermediate roller and the other end thereof being free, the turns on said braking spring being wound in a direction about said boss whereby they tighten about said boss simultaneously as the turns of said drive means spring loosen about said shaft and said braking spring turns loosen about said boss simultaneously as said drive means spring turns tighten about the said shaft portion.

10. The device of claim l', said primary drive means comprising a cam block rigidly connected at one end of a shaft, said arm being rigidly connected at the other end of said shaft, said shaft being axially oscillatable, a rectangular groove defined by two spaced apart horizontal tracks interconnected at their respective ends by two vertical tracks in the circumferential surface of said block, a stationary follower extending into said groove, reversible power drive means connected to said block for pivoting same in opposite directions,v means urging said block in opposite axial directions in correspondence to said follower being disposed in .alignment with each. of saidvertical tracks.

11. The device of claim 10, said block urging means comprising energy storing means arranged to receive and store energy from said block'vduring pivoting of same by said powerdrive meansand to release said energy in the form of axially directed force against said block in each of two opposite directions in correspondence `to said follower'being in alignment with each of said vertical tracks, respectively. l y

12. The device of claim 10, said blockl urging means comprising a resilient means arranged to be acted upon by said block so as to be distorted in an axial direction in correspondence to said block pivoting'in either of two opposed circumferential directions, said resilient means thereby exerting an axial force against said block opposite to the axial distortion forces exerted thereon by said block during pivoting of same.

13. The device of claim 10, said urging means comprising a roller mounted on said block about an axis which is radial to the block pivot axis, a pair of pivot members each including a rolling surface for said roller, said rolling surfaces being vertically opposed relative to the roller axis, a stop means limiting the closest extent to which said pivot members may pivot in `a direction towards each other, a resilient means connecting said pivot members, said pivot members being pivotable away from each other in opposition to the urging of said resilient means, said rolling surfaces being so shaped that pivoting of said block in opposite circumferential directions causes said roller to roll along said surfaces and to axially displace a respective pivot member in respective opposite vertical directions away from the other pivot member.

14. The device of claim 13, said rolling surfaces comprising facing, circumferentially aligned inclined portions and horizontally extending circumferentiallyr `displaced ledge portions, pivoting of said block in respective opposite directions resulting in said roller coming to rest against a respective different one of said ledge portions, said ledge portions being oppositely positioned relative to the axis of said roller.

15. The device of claim 1, said holder comprising a pair of fingers pivotally mounted about parallel axes and defining a channel therebetween for receiving a button therein, said channel being open at one end of said fingers, resilient means urging said fingers towards each other about said parallel axes whereby said fingers are adapted to yieldingly grip a button therebetween while in said channel,`the said one end of said fingers beingaxially aligned beneath said rotary guiding means and above said loading arm.

16. The device of claim 15, said holder being pivotally mounted about an axis transverse to said parallel axes, the said one end of said fingers being thereby movable along the axis of said guiding means. 'Y

17. The device of claim 15, said gripping rneanscomprising pin means engageable with holes in a button, said loading arm being adapted to grip a button with said pin means through axial movement of said,y arm toward said holder fingers and said arm then being `adaptedto disengage said button from between said fingers through pivoting of said arm from said loading station towards said clamp station, the ends of said fingersreleasing said button through pivoting of said fingers about `said parallel axes against the urging of said resilient means.

18. The device of claim 16, said channel being elongate and having an inlet end positioned at the discharge of a button supply means, resilient means normally urging said holder to pivot in one direction about said transverse axis whereby said channel is normally downwardly inclined from its inlet end toward said open end, said channel thereby permitting a button to slide by gravity from said inlet end to said open end.

19. The device of claim 6, said cam means comprising a cam block rigidly connected with a rst shaft, said loading arm being rigidly connected to said shaft, the assembly of said shaft, said block and said arm being pivotable and also axially displaceable relative to the shaft axis, said first shaft extending concentrically through a hollow shaft, a roller drive means drivingly connecting said hollow shaft with said guiding means, said uni-directional drive means connecting said tirst shaft with said hollow shaft whereby said first shait drivingly engages said hollow shaft pursuant to pivoting of said first shaft in only one pivotal direction thereof.

20. The device of claim 6, said cam means being pivotable about a pivot axis, said primary drive means including a self-reversing electromagnet including a magnetically driven drive member drivingly connected with said cam means so as to oscillate same about its pivot axis in correspondence to said drive member being re- 10 versibly driven.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,042,254 7/1962 Hendrickson 221-173 5 STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner. 

